Over one million viewers tuned in to the 2016 series of FleadhTV on TG4, live over four nights from Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann Inis 2016.
Presenters Mairéad Ní Chuaig, Lynette Fay, Cathy Jordan and local Clare musician Tóla Custy, brought the very best of Irish traditional music into the homes of Ireland and online worldwide. The peak viewership was on the Sunday night broadcast when it reached 281,000 people.
A crew in excess of one hundred put the show together which featured four hundred artists over the four nights. 40,000 people came to visit the FleadhTV site in Ennis and watch rehearsals plus filming of the live show, a first for any music programme in Ireland.
FleadhTV 2016 may be rechristened “The Social Fleadh”. The FleadhTV Facebook page hosted exclusive online content from behind the scenes. Taking magical content from the streets, competition winners and behind the scenes of the broadcasts, the social media team created a new complementary accompaniment to the television production. #FleadhTV trended in the Top 10 for three nights in Ireland on Twitter.
Executive Producer/Director Paul McKay was very happy with how the show went. “We are supremely proud of the FleadhTV, our dteam worked tirelessly to bring the best of the Fleadh and Irish Traditional Music to a wide Irish and international audience. The feedback locally was that we showed Ennis and Co Clare at its very best to Ireland and beyond”.
TG4 Deputy CEO, Pádhraic Ó Ciardha commented “Our Fleadh TV coverage has now become a mainstay of our Summer Schedule with a massive fan-base in Ireland and overseas. If you can’t attend in person, this is the way to enjoy one of Europe’s biggest cultural events.”
Gifted Empire and FleadhTV look forward to returning to Ennis for Fleadh Cheoil 2017 with even more exciting programming on TG4.